Flying High

The Birds and The Bullets

Original story idea by Dorian Green

Noah was lying on the soft green grass on top of the lonely hill. He watched a solitary crow flying above and found himself day-dreaming about soaring through the clouds just like it. Noah could only imagine feeling the wind in his soft black feathers and the heart pounding adrenaline that came with it as he soared swiftly over top the buildings of the small town of Chesley. Something about flying just seemed to help Noah see the world differently, but that was impossible. He guessed nothing could save him from the reality of his life. After all there was a reason why birds had wings, and humans didn't.

BING!!!

The unpleasant sound of the bell ringing reached Noah's ears and tore him away from his dreams of freedom. Letting out a deep sigh, Noah stood up and brushed himself off before grabbing his backpack and trekking down the hill. Normally Noah wouldn't care about being late for class, but he couldn't afford another detention.

Noah ran down the street towards Kross District Learning Academy. The ancient building that served as his school. Noah had spent the last four miserable years learning how to be a piece of society. Noah despised this place. He had no friends, and hadn't even met anyone with common interests. In class, everyone would always stare at him like he was a cyclopes released from the pits of Tartarus, and walking through the halls was even worse. KDLA had roughly a little more than other two-hundred students and although the building was close to crumbling, it was rather large. This made it impossible to hide behind innocent bystanders in order to avoid harassment.

Remarkably, Noah managed to reach his locker without trouble and just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief...

“Hey Birdboy.”

Noah tensed and felt disappointment weigh down on him. He turned around and faced his main bullies. Kent Crandel and his buddies from the football team. Everyone, (especially Kent) harassed Noah about his fantasies of flying.

Back in grade eight, Noah had made the mistake of writing a speech about his dream, in hopes that his fellow classmates would maybe be nicer to him, but that plan backfired. No one understood the feelings it brought to him and instead they grabbed at the chance to embarrass him further. Everybody laughed, and when Noah looked at the teacher for help all he saw was pity in her eyes.

 Noah pushed the memory to the back of his head and forced his way back to the present. Kent was smirking as if he knew something Noah didn't, and before Noah could figure it out an egg smacked into the door of his locker. It made a dull thud as the shell exploded against the metal and the air became thick with the smell of rotten egg.

Before Noah could react, more were thrown at him by each of the guys in Kent's stupid little group. Two more hit his locker and then one smashed all over his new sweater. The last egg hit him right in the face. Noah recoiled against his locker and tried to wipe the slimy substance away from his face. He could hear the people in the hall laughing at him and some of the barbie-doll girls nearby gagged and complained about the smell. The minority of people who witnessed the scene just walked away or looked on with pity shining in their eyes, just like his grade eight teacher.

All Noah could do was cower against his locker and try not to cry. Suddenly he was overwhelmed with fierce emotions that battled to take over his mind and body. One minute Noah was sinking in humiliation, the next he felt cold fury creep up from the pit of his stomach like frost. He looked up at Kent and his gang through the red haze of purebred hatred and for the first time Noah felt like he could punch someone. Oh how we would have loved to lunge at Kent and bash his ugly smirk back into his skull. He wanted to feel his fist connect with Kent's nose and smear the blood all over his hands as he continuously punch the stupid jock until he begged for mercy.